Candy Fax
by bordeaux cookies
Summary: FAX one-shots told through candy. Includes previous stories: "Chocolate Kisses" and "Red Hots". Please submit any candy you think would make a good, Faxy romance fanfiction. Thanks!
1. Chocolate Kisses

~.*** Chocolate Kisses ***.~

* * *

><p>The tall, blonde girl excitedly prepared for the Valentines Day Dance, despite the fact that her friends had to dress her up in something nice. It wasn't the fact that she didn't like to look nice — you had to look nice on special occasions — but it was that her perspective of "nice" and theirs weren't much common.<p>

She'd rather have a new pair of non-stained, non-wrinkled jeans, or even slacks, with an appropriately matching blouse. _That_ was nice. Not loads of jewelry, make-up, and time spent curling your hair to perfection. Nor the tight, hugging dresses or skirts that usually lay far above the knee length.

The reason this young high schooler, Max, was so eager to get to the dance, was because the other day, she had purchased a 350 piece pack of Hershey's creamy, milk-chocolate kisses from Sam's Club. Its price was ten dollars, but the use of the chocolate would surely make up for it.

It was half past six o'clock in the evening. Max and her friends, Nudge, Angel, and Ella had finished getting ready, since they had begun around four.

_Unbelievable, how long those girls take to dress_, Max thought, clutching her heavy purse tightly. The only reason Max was carrying that around, was because it contained her chocolate goodness. The only reason Angel and Nudge — her outfit designers — let her carry it, was because it thankfully matched the clothing on Max's body.

She was wearing a dress that had a sweetheart neckline, exposing a minimal amount of cleavage. Moving lower, the white and creamy colored gown bunched up tighter around her petite waist, before flowing down to her knees, revealing her long tan legs.

Her hair was let down, front hairs pinned to the side, as her blonde locks that had been curled into wavy ringlets cascaded down her half bare back. It was only the white/cream color, because Max had refused to wear _any _various shades of pink that was forced on her.

Max's round, heart-shaped face had a natural look to it, but slight emphasis on her eyes, lips, and cheeks, due to her make-up artist, Ella Martinez. She embraced all her friends in gratitude, for making her look nice. She really did think she looked decent, and not at all like the other girls in high school, with their mini mini skirts, and low cut tank-tops.

Nudge, Ella, and Angel had also done an extraordinary job on prepping themselves up for the dance. Each wore a different shade of pink dress, in multiple styles. Nudge, with a hot pink, spaghetti strap dress, which hugged her body, ending about a couple inches above her knees.

Ella was dressed in a fuchsia gown, similar to Max's, with the sweet heart neck line that dipped a bit lower, before clinging to the abdomen area, and flowing all the way to the ground.

Angel wore a v-neck carnation pink dress that came to the knees, poofing out a bit more, with all the ruffles and bows. They looked absolutely _elegant_.

"Ready?" Ella giggled, lifting up the hem of her dress to prevent it from dragging on the gown, as they exited the Martinez's house.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Max said, being sure to grab the purse.

"Don't worry Max. It'll be fun!" Nudge squealed.

"And you'll definitely have the time of your life, with that prank of yours…" Angel added thoughtfully.

With that, they drove off towards school, the sun setting behind them, giving off glowing lights of pink. Pink, to match the day. Valentines Day.

* * *

><p>The high school gym was decorated extravagantly, as Max wryly thought, <em>They have enough money to pay for <em>this_ but not even to make the cafeteria food edible?_

Despite that negative fact, they all had to agree that the committee who arranged this had done a good job. As the entered the dance floor, people stopped and stared at the four beautiful girls, and the said girls didn't care. They were there to have fun, were they not?

_And have fun indeed…_

"Hey guys, I think I'm going to start handing out the kisses to people okay?" Max said, making sure each individual friend heard her. One by one, a head was nodded, or an "Okay" was heard — some means of comprehension.

Scanning the gym with her chocolate brown eyes, Max spotted the first guy who knew had a crush of some sort on her. Reaching into her purse, Max pulled out a single chocolate, and headed towards her first victim, so to speak.

Sam Wofford.

Noticing Max approaching him, he turned around to make sure it was _he_ she was going for. He felt excitement shiver down his back, believing he was going to be Max's love. How wrong he was.

She slung the purse over her shoulder, and fingered the chocolate in her hands, trying to act seductive, yet shy. It was working.

He leaned the tiniest bit forward, getting a better look at her — or rather, what was on her chest — as Max began to speak, and feigning nervousness.

"Hi Sam."

"H-Hey…"

"Do you have a Valentine?" He shook his spiked blonde head.

"No. Um, hey, would you like to be my Valentine?" he asked, patiently waiting for her reply, shaking from anxiety.

Max allowed a small — and fake — smile to grace her lips, as she whispered, "Close your eyes, and lean forward. I'll give you a kiss, and you'll have your answer."

Sam did as told, like a love-sick puppy — which he most likely was — scooting himself forwards even more. Max pretended to lean closer, breathing on his lips, as she snuck her hand up, holding the chocolate to Sam's lips.

As soon as his lips touch the foil of the candy wrapper, his eyes flung open, and he slid back, heat rising to his cheeks. Max simply turned her back, and walked away, popping a chocolate in her mouth.

"I told you I'd give you a kiss… Enjoy!"

No one had noticed that incident, other than Fang, who was silently observing the dance from the bleachers, ignoring the pleads of the crowding girls.

This continued for most of the boys at the dance, since most of them had an attraction for Max.

Dylan.

Ari.

Omega.

Thomas.

Iggy.

Gazzy.

Josh.

Zach.

Steven.

Each expecting a kiss from Max… And getting one, although it wasn't quite what was expected. Fang watched them all, taking in the surprised faces of those fallen victim to the trick.

And every time another fell, Max ate another chocolate kiss.

Until she came up to Fang.

"Hey Fang…" she purred, a bit more hyper from all the chocolate that had been consumed.

Fang nodded in response, startled by the fact Max had approached him. _Might as well play along with it. Get a free piece of chocolate in the process. _After all, he too liked Max, as most of the other guys in the school did.

She stepped closer. "Come alone to this dance?"

Another nod.

Another step.

"Fang, do you want a kiss?"

Another nod.

Another step.

"Okay," she whispered, coming even closer. He closed his eyes patiently waiting for the chocolate wrapper to come into contact with his lips.

Instead, pair of soft, human lips touched his own, in a chaste, gentle kiss.

"Happy Valentines Day, Fang," she muttered, pulling back slowly.

Acting from his heart, and not the head, Fang pulls Max back to him, initiating a longer and definitely more passionate kiss.

As the kiss begins to cease, both teenagers well out of breath, Fang sighs, relaxed.

_I asked for a chocolate kiss. And a chocolate kiss I get._


	2. Red Hots

~.* **RED HOTS ***.~

* * *

><p>"I smell something hot in here..." he murmured in his husky voice, his dark hair shrouding his intimidating onyx eyes. She giggled, leaning down from her perch on the desk.<p>

"Really?" she wondered seductively. He winked in reply, saying, "You know it." And then came a sloppy make out session.

Max rolled her eyes, as she watched in disgust, turning her head away from the horrific couple.

Nick "Fang" Ride, and Brigid Dwyer. The hot bad-boy, and the obnoxious smart-aleck. Well, book-smart. Max would've been the smart aleck if it was a competition of wits, or if it was street-smart.

"Eh hem!" the teacher, Mr. Flanagan said, clearing his throat. "No PDA in school grounds!" He was a short, stout old man, but extremely kind. He never gave homework, claiming he was too lazy to create and grade it, but his test were worth studying for. His Irish accent was magnified, as his loud voice boomed through the classroom so those in the back – Fang and Brigid – would hear.

Groaning, they separated, as Max sighed in relief. She could actually see now. The acid burning in her eyes was gone.

Max and Fang surprisingly used to be best buds, along with their friends Iggy, Nudge and Ella. Now, it was just them. No Fang. He had 'packed up his bags' and moved to where the jocks and cheerleaders sat one day, abandoning them. That was the first strike.

They wouldn't of minded as much,_ if _he still talked to them. It was his choice where he wanted to sit for lunch either way. It was a free country. But, he lost all means of connection – not even when they crossed paths in the hallways in between class periods. They didn't sit by each other, in the mere classes they actually shared together, and if they had to work together, it was forced. This was the second.

The last, and final blow, was when he asked Brigid Dwyer out. Brigid wasn't slutty, or dumb. She was well on her way of becoming Valedictorian next year. The only problem with Brigid, was that she was conceited, thinking everyone was way out of her league. That is, besides Fang. Brigid was also highly obnoxious, loving to cache all the attention, and be the center of spot-light. Max wouldn't of doubted that Brigid thought the world revolved around her.

Fang wasn't the Fang Max had known before he had change. To think, Max had feelings for him, besides friendship before, knowing he'd never return them. Now, all she felt was hatred, pity, and sorrow.

But she couldn't understand _why_. Why did he abruptly have a change of heart? Why did he leave his old friends, who he _knew_ would risk their life – most of the time – for the other?

And so she decided that Fang was a jerk. _Nick_ was a jerk. The biggest there was. She didn't know what to think of him anymore.

* * *

><p>By the end of the year, Fang had broken up with Brigid. Maybe it was the other way around. Either way, they had split. No one knew why. Their relationship was actually consistent, and they remained loyal to each other. Perhaps Brigid had moved on, and found someone who exceeded her standards, or flattered her with unnecessary compliments. Or was it Fang had found a new love?<p>

Both rumors were floating down the halls of high school – all they ever talked about. It was the endless buzz of the bees.

_"Hey did you hear about Fang and Brigid?"_

_"Did you know Brigid..."_

_"Brigid's got a new guy in her life."_

_"Fang and Brigid split!"_

_"OH EM GEE! FANG IS FREE! AIEEE!" _Yes, Max did actually hear that.

_"I heard from _Fang_ himself he's in love with someone..." _When Max learned of this new canard, she stopped dead in her tracks. She felt a little _pang_ in her heart, but pushed it aside as if it wasn't there.

Was it possible she had an emotion other than hate conflicting within her heart and mind? Negative. But then, why would, no, why _is_ she feeling this way? All those feelings that had tightly been bolted in a safe, deep inside her were reappearing at the surface again. And she hated it.

He was a jerk, _remember_? And he's _still_ a jerk. Nothing new; all old news.

Max sat in Mr. Flanagan's class, early again, munching on some candy she had recently purchased from the school vending machine. Mr. Flanagan had been in the class earlier, but he had to run some emergency copies, down in the high school office.

She reclined back in the chair, and closed her eyes, tasting the cinnamon spice of the red hots on her tongue. Glancing up at the clock, Max realized there still was seven minutes until class began, and the other students returned from lunch. There still was time to sleep.

And then the door burst wide open.

Fang.

Max groaned inwardly, as she glared at him from her half-closed eyelids. He smirked, his usual smugness radiating off him.

"I smell something hot in here..." he said cockily.

"Like what, dipwad, the _RED HOTS _I'm eating? Glad you can use your senses," Max shot back. She half expected Fang to roll his bottomless obsidian eyes, and retort an insult in her direction. Instead, his eyes softened. It almost made Max melt like it used too. But she was fired up in anger from his sudden change.

"What? First we're friends, and then we're not, and now you're, what, expecting everything to return to normal now that you've broken up with Brigid?" she exclaimed, fueled by fury.

He shook his head, his dark hair covering over his olive face. "You've heard the other rumors then..." Fang wondered.

"What do you think I am? Deaf? That's all _anyone_ here that has no life talks about."

"So you've heard about my 'mysterious love'?" Fang asked, walking closer to the table she was sitting at, still eating my cinnamon treats.

"That _was_ one of the rumors, was it not?" He smirked again.

"Let's try this again, shall we? I smell something hot in here..." Fang restated. This time, instead of retaliating some snappy comment, Max threw a red hot at him, which he skillfully caught in his mouth.

"Take it then! I don't want them anymore!" she shouted, crossing her arms against her chest. Fang rolled his eyes.

"You don't get it, do you?" he asked, almost _tiredly_?

"I understand perfectly fine. You're here to steal my candy. Now take it, and _leave_, please!" she yelled at him. Yet he didn't 'take it and leave'. He stepped even closer.

"You don't understand Max. It was you all along. I choose _you_, Max," Fang whispered, staring intently into Max's eyes. The eyes he had admired ever since second grade, when the two first met.

How he came to losing Max, and joining Brigid, he didn't know. It was something he regretted, and wished he never did. Because it had hurt Max so much, even though she tried not to show it.

_He_ had hurt Max.

Now Fang was asking to start a relationship? Unbelievable. But in his eyes, showed genuine concern, guilt, and remorse. He was sorry for his actions.

Max opened her mouth, and shut it again. She cleared her thoughts out of her head, and went with what came naturally. "I _am_ pretty hot aren't I?" she laughed.

Fang scowled at her. "Shut up and kiss me you idiot."

And Max happily obliged.


	3. Marshmallows

~.* **Marshmallows ***.~

* * *

><p><strong>Friday:<strong>

"Remember class, your homework is to write an essay on the true personality of the person closest to you! Be ready by next Monday!" Mrs. Paisley yelled, trying to get her voice around the roar of the students exiting the class.

It was Friday, last period, and everyone seemed as if they didn't care about the essay, when really, they did. The jocks, the preps, the class clowns – and obviously the nerds – cared about their most likely suffering grade in Mrs. Paisley's english class.

Max exited the room, more calmly than the rest, her best-friend (and more?) Fang, and other friend, Iggy, on either side of her. She wished the teacher a good weekend, and headed out the door.

As the three approached the entrance of the school, each gave their own – unique – good-bye.

"See ya' later peeps!" Iggy hollered behind his back, walking off to where his car was parked.

Fang nodded to Iggy in response, and gave a small half-smile in Max's direction.

"Don't explode anything Iggy!" Max yelled to him, "And express yourself more Fang!" she shouted towards the boy – _Man,_ as he liked to be called – in black.

As Max said that to Fang, she snickered to her self. _MIB_. Men in Black. Shooting aliens.

_Pew! Pew! Pew! Die evil extra-terrestrials! MWAHAHA –_

_That's enough Max_, her inner, rational voice told her, while her adolescent side wanted to have fake gun fights.

She strolled off to where her younger sister, Ella, was waiting by her car, thinking about her assignment. Even as the Martinez sisters drove home, she thought about it, through Ella's drone about school, and how _marvelous_ it was that particular day.

_How the heck am I supposed to write a freaking _essay_ about someone? And who should I write it about?_

Max stumbled into her bedroom, shutting the door tightly closed. She proceeded with dumping her bag on the ground, and plopping onto her soft, old bed. Staring up at her white, powdered ceiling, she went through all the possible choices of writing her assignment on.

**_Ella. _**_No, too... Sisterly._

**_Nudge. _**_No, she talks too much._

**_Angel. _**_Ye – No. She's adorable, but a lot younger, and too innocent, or too sinister..._

**_Iggy._**_ Eh... No. He's one of my best buds, but just no._

**_Gazzy_**_. His digestive problems? No way Jose._

**_Mom_**_. Who the hell writes about their _mom's_?_

_That leaves one person._

Fang._ He'll do._

_Fang it is then..._ Max thought, before drifting off into a light slumber, exhausted from the long day of high school.

**Saturday:**

The next day of the weekend, Max spent writing, and re-writing. She wanted to make the essay about Fang as truthful, and honest as she could, while still putting her true feelings in it. It had to be perfect. And no one – excluding Mrs. Paisley – was going to read it. This, was what was going to get her a good grade in english.

**Sunday:**

Finally. It was perfect.

Max sighed, and safely tucked her hard work away. She had worked the entire weekend on one project. Who knew there were so many things to say about Fang?

Tomorrow, she would turn it in. Then, all she could do was wait for her grade.

**Monday:**

It was turned in.

**Tuesday:**

Max waited patiently. She didn't even bother asking everyone else who they wrote about. She sat and waited for her essay to be returned, so she could strategically place it away from everyone else's eyes.

The horror and humiliation if anyone read it. Especially Fang. What she had written was heartfelt, and her true emotions. The ones that no one knew about. The ones that no one will_ever_ know about.

**Wednesday:**

"Your essays were brilliant!" Mrs. Paisley exclaimed on Wednesday. She was in the process of returning them to the students. "They were fantastic!" she said proudly.

Mrs. Paisley came closer to Max's seat, passing them down by row. When she approached Max's desk, she smiled. "Well done."

Max glanced at the red number in the top right corner of her paper.

105.

_One-hundred-FREAKING-five!_ Max couldn't believe it! She hadn't failed it. Before anyone else could sneak a peek at her topic of subject, she tucked it away in a folder.

Mrs. Paisley had finished passing them out. She now stood behind her desk, in the front of the classroom. "As I said before, everyone did _exceptionally_ well. I'm proud of all of you. However, some of you," she looked at a couple people in the class, including Max, "Exceeded the standards. Well done.

"The second part of this assignment..." she paused dramatically, increasing the tension in the room. "The second part, is to present it to the class."

Max's head almost dropped to the ground. _She said _WHAT_? This was a _personal_ project! Not one you read and share with the class!_

She was going to die from embarrassment. And that is _not_ something Maximum Martinez does. Max could face the entire high school body, if they went against her. The only thing was: would she be able to stand up for herself in front of _Fang_?

If only Max looked next to her, at Fang's stoic face. It was it's usual impassive facade, but if Max had looked at him closely, she'd be able to see his clenched jaw, and squinted eye. He – _Fang_ – was nervous.

His essay was personal, like Max's, and there was a high risk that it could ruin their friendship.

_Curse Mrs. Paisley._

"So... Any volunteers?" the teacher asked. Not a single person raised their hand. Mrs. Paisley smiled, and said, "Okay then, I'll have to choose. Max, why don't you go first? Your's was written tremendously well."

_Kill me now_, Max thought having a mental freak out. Yet if she didn't present, her grade would suffer terribly, and she would _not_ have another "C" in english.

Max clenched her fists, and slowly withdrew the essay, and walked to the front, trying to radiate the confidence she normally always achieved in front of people.

She held her paper out in front of her, inhaled once, exhaled another, and began reading.

"_Marshmallows. Not just marshmallows, but _burnt_ marshmallows. The ones you use in s'mores at campfires and other activities, and recipes._

_"Marshmallows are made up of usually sugar, corn syrup, water, and gelatin, combined in hot water to create it's soft, fluffy texture. They're squishy, and fun to mess with._

_"Until you burn them. They'll light up into flames, singe the edges, and create a rough, outer texture. Once you get past the protective shell, you'll uncover the still soft marshmallow." _Max paused for a moment to look at her audience – mainly Fang – who all had confused looks on her face. A glimpse through the corner of her eye, she saw Mrs. Paisley smiling, waiting for what came next.

_"You may be quite puzzled on why I'm talking about marshmallows in an essay about someone close to me." _Some members of the audience nodded their head in agreement.

_"Well, I'm saying that, because to me... Fang is a marshmallow." _The class erupted into loud guffaws of laughter, and Fang's cheeks had the slightest bit of a red tint. Max quickly realized her mistake, and corrected it, only to screw up even more.

_"Not because he's fat!" _More laughter. _"Because he isn't! But because he has that outer shell that no one seems to get past. The one that hides everything he's feeling. The one that I've been trying to break piece by piece, every since I met him in first grade._

_"And now I know, that underneath that poker-face, he's a big softie. Fang will do anything to protect those who he truly cares for, and make sure they're always safe, and out of harm. Many of you may not believe this, and think that all Fang is the un-breakable rock; the bad boy. But if you've experienced him, and his little sister Angel first-hand, like I have, he takes on a whole new persona ─ the older, loving brother._

_"Fang's known for his half-smirk, that…" _Max paused uncomfortably, but trudged on_. "… Makes all the ladies swoon, but if you've ever seen his smile, you'd probably faint. His smile lights up his face, and is enough to keep the planets in their gravitational orbit, once the Sun dies out. The whole Earth seems to cease on its axis, and the wind no longer blows. It's so rare, that most people never experience the joy of making _the_ Fang smile._

_"Always veiling his emotions with a blank expression, you never know what he's thinking, what he's feeling. You never know if he's suddenly going to slash out at you, or gather him into his arms. His barrier is too hard to break, as if it was bullet-proof, fire-proof, water-proof, and even _sound-proof_. (Even _Nudge _isn't able to crack it)." _This brought out another laugh, but for an entirely different reason than the last.

_"But somehow, just _somehow_, I, Maximum Martinez has chipped the crust off his barrier. I've gotten to the warm, toasted fluffy marshmallow. The marshmallow named Fang. The one that I care for, with all my heart." _Max finished her essay, and casted her eyes down to the ground, her cheeks beginning to heat up. Before anyone spoke up, she added one more thing from her paper.

_"Oh, and you know how sometimes marshmallows are artificially colored? Well then, Fang would be the one, and only black one. The one that stands out from all the rest. The one, that I can officially call my best, and closest friend."_

Instead of laughing their bottoms off at Max, as she had expected, they all applauded for her. Most of them were crying; the girls most likely from the emotion, and the guys from the humor.

Max looked up at Fang, and couldn't seem to hold his gaze. _What did he think of it? Does he hate me? God… I never should've written that about him!_

The bell, signaling the end of the day rang. Max gathered her belongings quickly, and tried to exit as quickly as she could. However, Fang grabbed her shoulder, keeping her in place, not letting her leave. Iggy walked by, and Max looked at him pleadingly, but he gave and encouraging look, and eventually walked out of the room.

Mrs. Paisley had also left, and now, it was just Max and Fang.

Fang and Max.

"Did you mean all that?" Fang whispered, tilting her bent head up towards him.

"No…" Max muttered sarcastically. "I spent the entire weekend writing that for _fun_ because it isn't true." Fang chuckled.

"Really, Max," he prodded gently.

"Yes! God, it was true! Happy?" Max yelled in his face.

"Good…" he said, almost to himself.

"How is _that_ good?" Max shouted furiously, enraged at him enjoying her embarrassment. "How can you say ─"

And she was cut off by Fang's lips.

"Because I wrote mine the same way."


	4. Twizzlers

~.* **Twizzlers ***.~

* * *

><p>"What makes you think you're so witty?" Fang challenged.<p>

Max scoffed loudly, shaking out her dirty-blonde head. "Are you saying I'm not?"

"…" She punched Fang on the shoulder, getting a satisfying groan of pain from him. He glared at her playfully, rubbing his red, and tender shoulder to ease the pain. Under Fang's gaze, Max feigned innocence, as she brought her knees up, and tucked it to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

They were sitting on the edge of Max's bed, just joking around, until Fang decided to doubt Max's wittiness, and have an argument about it.

"Try me," Max smirked, as she beckoned Fang to throw any pick-up line or insult at her. He thought for a second, trying to recall all the lame line's Iggy had told him ─ that kid had even given him a list of it. Remembering one of them, he shared it with Max.

"Are you from Tennessee? Because you're the only ten I see." Max almost died laughing.

"We live in Arizona, dumbass. That was so lame!"

"Iggy told me it!" Fang protested, trying to preserve his dignity, causing Max to roll around on her bed laughing even more.

"Figures…" she managed to choke out. When Max's breathing calmed down. "Shoot 'em at me."

"I lost my phone number; Can I have yours?"

"You can have my brother's… He's bisexual. You guys should match."

"You are aware that's Iggy you're talking about?" Fang wondered, a small smile playing at his lips.

"Exactly. Especially since you already _have_ his number. Proceed."

"You may fall from the sky, you may fall from a tree, but the best way to fall… is in love with me." Fang said, looking at Max intently.

"I may fall from a roof, I may fall from outer-space, but instead of falling in love with you, I'd rather fall on my face," Max mocked in reply.

"People call me Fang, but you can call me tonight," Fang teased, adding a wink for effect.

Max gasped in horror. "You _are_ a vampire, aren't you!" Fang face-palmed. He didn't think that through, yet he continued, determined to prove Max wrong.

"Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?"

"My fist believes in love at first sight with your face; Maybe you _should_ walk by again."

"Help the homeless! Take me home with you!" Fang jokingly pleaded.

Max bust out into _another_ laughing fit. "Haha ─ it's a homeless guy!" Fang scowled at her."You sure look like one. Begging and everything…" Max added with after a second thought.

"What does it feel like to be the most beautiful girl in this room?"

"Well, there really wasn't any competition, babe. There's only you and me in this room, and I easily beat you in the looks department," Max said smugly. Silence took over the room.

"Wait, are you calling me a _girl_?" Fang asked, shocked.

"Took you long enough to figure that one out!" Max said, whilst trying to control her emotions that wanted to crack up laughing.

Fang huffed annoyed, but continued. "Hi, I'm a thief, and I'm here to steal your heart."

Max grabbed the book on the nightstand, and whacked Fang on the head with it, yelling, "Someone, quick call the cops! And get this rapist AWAY FROM ME!"

"That wasn't wit," Fang pointed out. Max shrugged.

"You were called a rapist. Witty enough for me."

"Hello. Cupid called. He says to tell you that he needs my heart back."

"Huh. I guess the open heart surgery failed..." Max said innocently, as Fang shot a glare towards her.

"Can I take your picture? I want Santa to know exactly what I want for Christmas..."

Max put on a disgusted face, trying to bite back her smile. "You want to grow boobs and be a girl? They have plastic surgery for that if you _really_ want it..." Fang face-palmed himself.

"Excuse me, do you have a Band-aid? I skinned my knee when I fell for you."

"No. I don't. Go bleed," she snorted in response.

"You wouldn't _really_ want your best friend to bleed to death, would you?"

"You skinned your knee. You won't die."

Fang scooted even closer to Max, and rubbed her back gently, as a shiver went up her spine. "I thought only angels had wings..."

"Ex-_cuse_ me? Are you calling me a freak? Avian-bird kid mutants can have wings too. Thanks a lot," she replied, huffing.

"I think we should be lab partners, because you and I have chemistry."

"Sure, I'll just splash the hydrochloric acid all over your face... Better enjoy those looks while you got 'em." Fang groaned in annoyance. Screw Iggy and his lame pick up lines. This was Fang's turn.

"I love Twizzlers."

"Are you calling me – Wait, _what?_" she asked confused.

"You heard me. I. Love. Twizzlers."

"Yeah, I did, but I don't think that is a pick up line..." Max told him warily.

"It is now."

"How so?"

"You're a twizzler."

"And...?"

"We've learned substitution already in school Max..." Fang said, waiting for her to realize what he said.

"I am _not – _..." Fang looked at her, directly in the eyes.

"I love you, Max. I always have." She looked down, her cheeks flaming. Daring to take a glance up Fang's expecting face, she allowed her eyes to flicker down from his midnight orbs, to his lips.

"I -" she began.

"What's your favorite pick up line?" Fang asked.

Max hesitated for a second, before confidently responding, "You're a twizzler," and wrapping her arms up around his neck to close the space between their lips.


	5. Pixie Stixs

**~.* Pixie Stixs *.~**

* * *

><p>"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear IGGGY! Happy Birthday to you!" they all sang, as they crowded around Iggy, the seventeen year old birthday boy. Max, Fang, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, and Ella were all there, at his birthday party.<p>

He had a giant grin on his face, radiating happiness as he took the box closest to him. It was wrapped in Astro Boy wrapping paper, with a huge bow on the top, labeled To Iggy. The present had no person in which it was addressed from.

But that didn't stop Iggy. He carefully unwrapped the box, being sure not to tear Astro Boy's face off. When the paper was folded neatly, and set off to the side, he turned his gaze back to his present. Iggy felt his eyes grow to the size of plates.

_No. Fricking. Way._

"HOLY FU –" he began, abruptly stopping due to Max's death glare.

"LANGUAGE! There are little kids around," she hissed. Iggy shrunk back terrified, causing Fang to snicker. Max turned her glare on him, but he carried on chuckling silently. She elbowed him in the gut, and both she and Fang took a closer look at Iggy's present.

"Holy fu –"

"–dge-nuggets!" Max finished Fang's sentence, punching him once more. "Iggy..." she growled. "Give it to me right now..."

But it was too late. He had already run off cackling "IT'S ALL MINE!" into his room, locking the door. With a sixty-count pack of Pixie Stixs in hand.

"Shit..." Max murmured under her breath, running a hand through her long dirty blonde hair. Fang was about to shout "Language!" at her, but he was worried as well.

**Iggy + Artificially Flavored Sugar = ERROR**

Max turned towards the rest of Iggy's guests, demanding who had given Iggy the candy, yet they all had disappeared. "Who the hell gave that to Iggy?" Max turned to Fang.

Despite her fierce gaze directed at him, Fang couldn't help but think how beautiful Max was. He shrugged. 'Does it really matter? Now that Iggy has the Pixie Stixs, there is nothing we could do.' was the message conveyed in that one shrug.

Max's brown eyes drooped in defeat, as she collapsed on the couch Iggy had sat on when he opened his presents. Well, one present. Fang sat down beside her, and she scooted closer, making him feel awkward without realizing it. Then, Max rested her head on his shoulder.

This motion was common between the two, and was usually the least bit uncomfortable. But a couple years ago, Fang had discovered a feeling he felt towards Max, that was more than friendship. _Love._ So yeah, you could say it was he wasn't at ease – he was fricking awkward.

He could hear her soft breathing as they sat in silence, and his pounding heart began to calm down. The antsy vibe had disappeared, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, as Max leaned more into Fang's embrace.

A door opened. "SHAZAM!" Iggy spontaneously appeared, dressed in a black cape, and yellow, glimmering butterfly wings, as he held a Pixie Stix in one hand. He had a wide grin stretched out on his face, his eyes glaring brilliantly. There was no doubt about it. Iggy was on a sugar high.

"Why the fu –" Max glared at him "– nk are you wearing butterfly wings?" Fang questioned, trying not to crack up.

"They are not butterfly wings! They are magical fairy wings! I have cast a spell on you, so HAH!" he shouted in response. Max raised an eyebrow.

"A spell?"

"Well duh," he instantly replied. "You and you are going to fall in love by sunset! Ta-ta!" Iggy wiggled his fingers goodbye and winked at Fang before charging back into his room.

"You..." Max repeated nonchalently.

"And you?" Fang responded. _What the hell was he thinking!_ Iggy knew Fang liked Max, and he wouldn't be surprised if Max knew after that.

"Wait... Me? And you?" Max reiterated.

"Yes... That's what he just said..." Fang told her, face expressionless. Max had an opaque face on as well, but she was mentally freaking out on the inside. Not that Fang would know that. But Iggy _knew_ she kind of thought of Fang as more than a friend... Max was going to kill that boy someday. Someday soon.

"Yeah... Um... Okay...?" Max said, shifting in her seat on the couch. It wasn't everyday your brother tells you that you're going to fall in love with your closest friend. Especially of the same gender, but that – thankfully – wasn't the case right now.

Fang got up. "I should er... Leave now..." _Why was it so damn rigid? They were never like this._

Max shot up out of her seat, tripping on a present. "Wait!" She began falling, her arms flailing as Max toppled onto Fang, who fell on the ground with a thud. "I mean... Will you stay a little longer?"

And he couldn't say no. Especially of their close proximities, which Max just realized. Her cheeks flared red, and she bit her lip nervously. Neither teen made a move closer, nor farther from each other. It was as if time had frozen in place. Their eyes were locked, as they explored the depth of the others.

Midnight onyx. Care. Comfort. _Love..._ Wait, what?

Was this what Max saw in the bottomless pits of Fang's eyes? Was it possible that he could too...? No. Never. He would never feel that way towards her, and she wouldn't risk their friendship because of hormones.

He was going to risk it. Fang was taking a chance that could possibly ruin his and Max's bond. His eyes remained locked with Max's as he slowly lifted his head upwards, his hands gradually securing their grip around her waist even tighter. Her eyes fluttered closer, and she too moved her head closer to Fang's. Whether it was instinct or want, he didn't know.

One inch.

Three centimeters.

Two.

One...

"NUH-_UH_! I turn my back on y'all for _one second_ and you start smooching! How inconsiderate of you! I wanted to take pictures of my sister's first kiss!" Iggy exclaimed randomly. He was sitting on the couch, eating _Rocky Road Ice-cream_ out of the tub, that had a thick layer of Pixie Stix sugar over it. Neither Max or Fang moved. They hadn't actually kissed, but Fang could feel her hot breath fanning his face in little puffs. "Let go of her Fang! Can't have you snogging Maxie-dear during my entire birthday party, can we?" He began throwing Pixie Stixs at the two on the floor.

"Off! Scram! Skidaddle!" Iggy shouted gleefully. His outfit was still apparent, but Iggy had added a new addition to it: the Groucho Marks glasses/mustache.

Max and Fang, now standing, stared at Iggy. "_Igggggy..._" Max growled. She was a mere _centimeter_ from kissing Fang, before that... _Argh!_... came in and ruined it. Max began picking up the ten or so of the Pixie Stixs Iggy had thrown, and tore off the paper at the top of all of them. In one fluid motion, she downed all ten of the packets of artificially flavored sugar, and walked away into Iggy's room to steal the rest, leaving him in hysterics.

"WAIT! WAAIT!" he cried. Fang stood on the side, face amused by the show they were putting on. Max came walking back into the living room, smuggness clear on her face.

"Yes Iggy?"

"You can kiss Fang! Just don't steal my candy!" he wailed, running to save his sugar.

Fang sauntered over to Max. "Not to be cliché or anything... But where were we?" he wondered, smirking, but a bit of hesitation in his voice. Max sensed this, and gave a reassuring smile in his direction.

"Right here," she replied, pressing her sugary lips to his.

...

"They kissed! They kissed! I think they're together... But I know they kissed!" Iggy squealed _very_ masculinely. Nudge, Ella, Angel, Gazzy were crowded around him.

"OH EM GEE! I always knew they'd get together! Just not when. That plan was BRILLIANT I TELL YA! BLOODY BRILLIANT! EEK!" Nudge fainted.

"It _was_ a good idea, wasn't it..." Ella giggled, for it was her idea to make it awkward between Max and Fang, so they'd do _something_. "But it was all Iggy who actually figured out _how_to make it awkward between the uncomfortable-prone unofficial couple, aka Max and Fang."

"Plan Fax!" Angel cheered, her blonde curls bouncing around her small, chubby face.

"That's right Ange," Ella said.

"Ta-ta!" Gazzy mimicked Iggy. And then he let it rip. The most horrible, toxic smell. A Gazzy, Hazardous Fart. A Gazart.

There was a sputtering noise behind Iggy's closed bedroom door, and he cautiously went to open it. There stood Max and Fang, holding hands as they bent over at the waist trying to breathe, for they too had been affected by Gazzy's natural explosion.

"Thanks," Max said. It wasn't sarcastic, thanking Gazzy for farting, but genuine. Genuine for the fact that because of them, she and Fang had the guts to "man up" and take a risk. To take a risk, and be happy.

Who knew Iggy wasn't a retard? And that Pixie Stixs could have a good cause? Max sure didn't. _But..._

"WHO GAVE IGGY THE CANDY?"


End file.
